Do You Remember?
by Dhrubowiz
Summary: Team seven were assigned their first S class mission to escort the Princess of Ishgard. Will this journey spark love between Naruto and Sakura or is this just a step towards their separation forever? Pairing still not confirmed. It can become NaruSaku or SasuSaku(I know) if NarutoxOc, depending on my mood. The story will remain the same though, with different last few chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Do You Remember?**

Team seven were assigned their first S class mission to escort the Princess of a foreign country to Konoha.

So as usual, team seven was asked to meet three hours earlier on their usual training ground. Sasuke just brooded as usual, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes to dive deep into his faggotry world.

Sakura stood few meters beside him, occasionally yawning, after all she had to ditch her beauty sleep for their very first S class mission. It was all worth it… that is if their sensei was here.

Naruto -as usual- was bitching and moaning how quick he had to finish his morning rame- I mean breakfast, to meet up. Sakura didn't have the energy to deal with him this early in the morning. But that however didn't stop her inner self to act.

 **'** **Chaaa! If that idiot yells again, I am going to kick where it hurts the most!'**

"Pfft! I can't believe it's been ageeeeeeeeees and he isn't here yet! Does he expect us to run for whole three days?! We are getting late!"

"Shut up. You are annoying." Sasuke brooded.

"Huh?! You shut up!" Naruto growled with his fist in the air.

 **'** **Gosh where does he get all this energy this early in the morning?'**

'Probably all those Ramen cups.'

 **'** **Chaaa! Maybe we should start eating them and perhaps Sasuke-kun will fall for our love filled energy!... I mean energy filled love!'**

Sakura shook her head and sighed. 'To think I was so happy to be in the same team as Sasuke-kun… he doesn't even talk to me past one-word replies.'

"Buuuu! You are such a loser." Naruto stuck his tongue at Sasuke before crossing his arms after not being successful to start a fight with the Uchiha prodigy. Sasuke simply didn't care and just leaned against the tree, giving off the mysterious aura vibes that girls loved so much. If only he knew all it would take for him to get rid of these fangirls was to act normal, he would perhaps ditch his stupid self-contained attitude.

Naruto being overflowed with boredom began to look for anything to get rid of it. What better than trying his luck to ask his crush out on a date and perhaps being super lucky?!

"Ne ne Sakura-chan, want to go on a date with me after the mission?" Naruto asked with a mischievous smirk, elbowing her lightly which only seemed to earn a tick mark instead of a date.

"No." She flatly rejected as he comically slumped down, drawing circles in the ground with his finger, mumbling uncoherent words that sounded like a ritual to summon Shenron.

Sakura sighed again and sat down beside him on her knees, resting her palm on her lap.

"Naruto did you get the Kunai pouch and all essentials?" She questioned. He instantly lit up, as if the earlier rejection didn't even occur. With a quick 180 mood swing, he nodded quickly.

"Yes! I packed everything last night. Why?" He asked, slightly curious about her way of asking. Normally she wouldn't bother to initiate a conversation with him, especially after being asked out on a date. The aftermaths of those special occasions ends up him being punched through the walls or dug down in the centre of the Earth( **No Mans Sky joke not intended** ).

"This is our first S-Rank mission. So I thought I would double check with you." She explained.

"But you didn't ask Sasuke teme! He is the guy who forgets not me!" Naruto accused the Uchiha, pointing his fingers.

"Hn." Was all that could be audible from the Uchiha's mouth.

Sakura noticing him respond to their conversation, decided to lash out at Naruto by defending Sasuke which may give her a chance to talk to him!

"B-Baka! Sasuke-kun isn't stupid like you, he wouldn't forget to bring his tools on a mission!"

"Oh yeah?!" Naruto growled back at Sakura.

"Yeah!" She responded equally.

"Okay then show us your tools teme! Go on!" Naruto stood up and pointed towards Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked, happy to be able to make Naruto look like a loser. He reached on his back pouch to retrieve a kunai.

….

His eyes widened. 'Don't tell me…' His mind drifted back on his breakfast table where he had put his pouch earlier in the morning. 'I forgot them home…'

"We are still waiting bastard!" Naruto gritted impatiently.

"Go on Sasuke-kun, show it to us." Sakura added.

Sasuke slowly turned towards them and just stared at them, not knowing how to get out of such embarrassment.

The trio stared at each other for a moment until it was too evident that Sasuke had forgotten his tools.

Naruto burst out in hysteric laughter as he tried to hold catch of his breath.

"S-See! AHHAHAHA! Told you Sakura-chan, he is the stupid one."

Sakura was about to let out a laughter but noticing how embarrassed Sasuke looked, she did her best to contain her giggle and punched Naruto on the head.

"Shut up baka, Sasuke-kun doesn't need weapon for a mission... even if it's S-class!" She was hesitant as Naruto looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You sure?"

'Of course not! How can he forget his weapon on an S-class mission!'

"Yes I am sure! Sasuke-kun is the strongest ninja from our Academy, he can handle a few S-class without a sweat."

"Well, if you think that." Naruto took a few steps back, to avoid her fist. "You must be baka yourself!"

"What did you say?!" Sakura growled as she tried to punch him, but he evaded, running hurriedly. "Come back here!"

Naruto laughed as she fumed, running in circles around Sasuke, chasing Naruto.

"I hate you!" She yelled.

"Hai hai, that's enough you two." Kakashi jumped in between the duo as he stopped Naruto by the back neck of his shirt and stopped Sakura by her forehead. "We should get ready for the mission or we will gate late."

"Huh! You are the one who is already late!" Both Naruto and Sakura barked in unison.

"Well you see~ I was coming then suddenly I saw this large green dragon summoned-"

"Shut up! Liar! You were just busy reading manga or that erotic hentai book of yours!" Naruto interrupted.

Sakura nodded quickly in agreement.

Sasuke let out a 'phew' happy that his earlier embarrassment had been long forgotten….

"By the way Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke forgot his kunai!"

….

 **(Scene Change)**

Outside the **Land of Fire** , there exist the **Land of Ice**. A place much distant from the ninja world. Chakra manipulation were only known by few, unlike the Land of Fire residents.

The capital of the Land of Ice, **Ishgard** was in the central region, surrounded by white mountain range that spans from east to west. The Palace of Ishgard was known to be the most beautiful piece of Architecture throughout the whole continent. It was high upon the large Ice Mountain, overlooking the town beneath that surrounded the kingdom. It's many pointed towers gave it the look of an eccentric crown. The palace from a distance looked to be entirely made of ice, but when looked closely enough, it could be seen they are made from **Aetherytes** , a rare material that can only be found in this region. The palace seemed to glow right out of the ground like a glacier and it reflected the light like many shards of glass in the afternoon sun.

Around the palace were the horse pastures and 'white gardens' for the royal family. The Palace was surrounded by stone walls, topped with iron spikes to guard the day and night.

On the top most tower of the palace, a girl could be seen, staring at the open space which reflected the whole kingdom. Her long hair was a rich shade of snow-pearl. Her hair was left loose to dance with the icy wind that blew against her porcelain-like skin. Her eyes, framed by long shades of purple lashes, were bit red, as if a drop of blood decanted on pure white snow. With medium straight nose, baby-pink lips- she seemed like the picture of perfection. A small gesture of happiness could make anyone sigh with contentment. A small smile could make anyone smile. A drop of sadness, could change the world. But why was such a beautiful girl, wearing the finest jewellery, the finest clothes, white leather gloves, adorned with perfection, looked sad?

She was the **Princess** of Ishgard, the only daughter of the Kingdom. Surrounded by all the luxury, why did she look sad?

A small sigh left her ample lips. She batted her lashes down, alarmed from the presence of her attendant.

"Hime-sama, it's cold up here. You shouldn't stand here too long." Her maid spoke gently.

The young princess nodded, shivering lightly from the wind. "Land of Fire is warm, I can't wait to visit Konoha. The village Hidden in the Leaf. Surrounded by green." Her sadness was long gone, replaced with excitement, complimenting her true beauty.

"Hai. The Konoha escorts will arrive in three days from now. Your wish will finally come true." The maid spoke cheerfully.

"This will be the first time I will leave the Land of Ice. I am slightly nervous." She voiced. Turning her heels, letting her dress spin with the wind she looked at the maid with hopeful eyes. "Will the… uh… ninjas think I am weird?"

The maid giggled. "Hime-sama, why would you think that?"

She averted her eyes from her, looking at the floor shyly. "I didn't talk to anyone outside the Palace… I just hope they don't find me weird."

"You don't need to worry. They won't feel that way. I heard the Ninjas hired to escort you are the same age as you Hime-sama. The leader of the village made sure to give you good company."

"That sounds…. Great?"

 **(Scene Change)**

"So as you were already informed, this will be your first S-rank mission. We will be leaving the Land of Fire and our destination will be the Land of Ice." Kakashi began to review the mission with the trio.

"Ice Ice! Nice nice!"

"Shut up baka!" Sakura landed her fist lightly on Naruto's head, which caused him to stop for the time being.

"Anyways, we will be in a foreign place, so except the worst and be prepared." Kakashi continued. "Our first day will be to reach the Snow Village, from there we will cross the river that separates the two land. It will take us one day to cross the river, and the final day we will spend to reach Ishgard, which is our final destination. We will rest in the boat when we cross the river. Got it?"

"Isn't the Snow Village hostile to Leaf? Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura questioned.

"Hmm, someone has been doing their homework. Good job Sakura." Kakashi complimented with a smile which caused her to blush from the praise.

"While you are right that the village is not in good terms with us, the common folks don't have any part in it. We just need to avoid any ninjas and we should be fine." Kakashi explained. "Although there is a high chance of some spies in disguise of civilian, so once we reach the borders, put your headbands away and just walk in like a normal civilian."

The overly complicated secrecy of the mission didn't really impress the blonde. He just wanted to fight someone strong in a close combat. Not running away, and definitely not an escort mission.

"Kakashi-sensei, I thought it was an S-rank mission. So far all you explained is going to this kingdom, and escorting the Princess back to Konoha. Where is the action?" He asked.

Sasuke despite not voicing his opinion, slowly nodded which went unnoticed by the team.

Kakashi just sighed. He didn't have the experience to deal with kids, much less someone as obnoxious as Naruto.

"You see our mission is to escort the Princess of the Land of Ice. Do you understand what I am saying Naruto?"

"Yeah, our mission is to escort the Princess of the Land of Ice. What's not to understand in that? I still don't see the action in this." Naruto answered grumpily, crossing his arms.

Sakura shook her head, feeling slight pity for their sensei who has been exposed to the pain that Naruto is for the first time.

"Lets just go Naruto…."

 **(Scene Change)**

The first day went by quite quickly despite Naruto being bored of constantly running. It didn't feel anything different than chasing the cat for their D ranked mission. However once they finally reached the Land of Snow. The unknown feeling of an outside word finally caught up on the young genins mind. While Naruto was excited, Sakura and Sasuke were on their guards as they entered the Snow Village.

Kakashi noticing the two being really cautious, decided to ease the atmosphere a bit.

"It's okay Sakura, Sasuke. You don't need to worry too much. So long we are not wearing our headbands, it's a safe place."

"Kakashi-sensei! Look! They are making a snow castle over there!" Naruto yelled loudly, pointing towards a shop where the owner was building a small snow castle attraction in front of the shop.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Sakura added as they stared at the piece of art with stars in their eyes. Both Kakashi and Sasuke sweat dropped at their antics.

'Now that I see, Naruto and Sakura are quite similar.' Kakashi noted. 'Though she knows how to hide her real side pretty well.'

"Sensei, can we please visit the stores for a bit?" Sakura begged with her puppy dog eyes, follow by Naruto nodding quickly.

Kakashi sighed after briefly looking at their face. "Okay, only an hour. But don't go too far. And Sakura stay with Naruto at all time, I don't want him to cause any trouble. Got it?"

"Hey! I don't cause-" He was cut off as Sakura dragged his by the ear with her.

"Hai sensei. We will stay together! Bye!"

….

Once the two were gone, Kakashi was left with Sasuke, who had the least interest in anything around.

"Do you want to visit any place here?" Kakashi questioned.

"I didn't come here for sightseeing."

….

"Right…"

 **(Scene Change)**

"Woah…." Sakura's eyes sparkled with awe on a piece of jewellery encased within glass partitions made into a box.

"Heh, what's this even?" Naruto questioned, not having any clue.

"It's a bracelet you idiot." Sakura grumpily answered, not leaving her eyes away from the shiny white metal jewellery.

"What's a bracelet?" Naruto asked.

"It's something you wear on your wrist." She answered as she took out her small pink purse. A sigh left her lips, realizing she didn't have enough money to buy it.

"Even though its just 500 gils… I am short by 200…." She mumbled slowly.

"Let's go…" Sakura whispered sadly.

"I thought you liked the thing? Don't you want to buy it?" Naruto asked unsurely.

"Yeah, but I am short by 200. I didn't bring enough money for the mission. I thought we won't be needing anymore." She explained.

Naruto quickly took out his bag and counted the coins he had.

"Oh man…. I only have enough for three bowls of ramen." Naruto spoke.

Sakura smirked as she looked at his purse slyly.

"Na~ru~to~ kun~"

Naruto already knew what was coming. The mere thought of not being able to buy his full meal was painful enough. But he didn't really want to get on her bad sides. 'Maybe she will go on a date if I lend her the money!'

"I don't mind lending you some money Sakura-chan."

Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Only if you promise to go on a date with me!" Naruto added cheekily, instantly her face going pale and eyes losing their joy.

"I will pass."

"But-"

"No! Go away. Hmp." She crossed her arms, looking away from him, her nose pocking the air upwards.

It took him a few moment to digest this no-gain deal before he finally gave in.

"Fine… you can have the money anyway." Naruto gave her 200 gils and turned his heels, putting his arms around his head as he walked towards the exit of the shop.

"I will wait outside."

Sakura slightly frowned from the way he sounded.

"Okay… just don't roam around! I will be there soon!"

"Hai hai."

Her eyebrows furrowed down momentarily giving her a sad look briefly. She shook her head quickly and went to the shop owner with the money. 'I will make up to him somehow. Now here I come!'

 **(Scene Change)**

"Tada~!" She showed the bracelet worn on her right wrist, excitedly.

Naruto rolled his eyes, not finding it any special than just a piece of metal. "Waste of money if you ask me."

"Shut up, it's so beautiful. You got no sense of fashion." She stuck her tongue teasingly as she held her wrist up, the sunrays reflecting on the shiny metal.

"Kyaaa~ Ino-pig is going to be so jealous." She squealed, just thinking about seeing her best friend fawning over it.

"Sakura-chan look! It's a mask shop!" Naruto pointed as his eyes fell on a nearby shop that had masks of different designs in view through the glass partition.

"Oh?" Sakura spoke, uninterested.

"Come on, let's check them!"

"Wait- Na- ughh! Coming!"

 **(Scene Change)**

"What took you guys so long?" Kakashi questioned once the duo arrived. He noticed they were smiling at each other on their way back. Normally the scene would be them coming back with Naruto having a bump on his head and Sakura giving out death vibes.

"This baka was busy checking out silly mask." Sakura answered, not sounding mad like usual.

"What?! You spent more time in buying that stupid thing!" Naruto accused her.

"Shut up, it's pretty. Buu!"

"Yeah, I believe you!" Naruto answered sarcastically. "It's just a metal!"

"NARUTO!"

'And here we go… just when I thought they were getting along.' Kakashi sighed.

"Can you two idiots shut up?" Sasuke voiced angrily.

"Teme!"

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Sakura looked down sadly like a lost cat.

"You are both annoying. It's not a vacation." He continued coldly. Something which didn't bother Naruto much apart from making him mad. But for Sakura, her childhood crush being mean to her effected more so emotionally.

"Look who's talking, princess Uchiha with a stick up his ass."

"I expected this type of stupidity from this dope, but looks like you are not just annoying, weak and useless member of the team, but also a dumb ass like he is." Sasuke added the final cherry on top.

Sakura just stared dumbly at him, her small framed shoulder shaking lightly as her lips made a wave. Tears pushing the barriers to come out. She tightened her fist to stay strong and not show any more weakness in front of him, but she couldn't. She started to cry.

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled as he lung himself towards him, fist clutched with anger.

Sasuke didn't need to use much effort to dodge the blow. He caught her fist, twisting his arms behind his back, Sasuke kicked him down the ground as Naruto crush on the ground.

"Why you!" He jumped in quick motion, ready to jump at the Uchiha again, but this time Sasuke didn't need to stop him.

 **Slap!**

It was Sakura this time. She stood in front of Naruto, who looked at her complete utter disbelief. The stinging pain on his cheeks wasn't what was hurting him at the moment.

"S-Sakura-chan?" He began to phrase.

"Shut up! Shut up Shut up!" She screamed shaking her head left and right madly with her eyes closed; as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Stop making my life miserable Naruto! I hate you! Why don't you just leave me alone?!" Sakura screamed in between her tears. Her voice breaking as she spoke those words to him. She knew how horrible she was being to him now. She knew deeply it had nothing to do with Naruto. She knew deeply he was the sweetest thing in her life. She knew how much Naruto cherished her. But none of that mattered at this very moment. She was blinded by the love of her life. She was blinded to the point that she would do anything just to get a single nod of approval from the person she loved. Even if it meant to scream at Naruto and say anything that came in her mind.

Naruto had his mouth partly open. He looked at her. Her rubbing her eyes, her cheeks. Her trying her best to stop crying but failing miserably. She looked so vulnerable. Yet she put up her voice to act strong. He knew her more than she thought he would know. Naruto looked down and smiled sadly. 'Even now I can't stop loving you Sakura-chan. I feel so pathetic.'

He could still mildly listen to her screaming at him. But he didn't pay much attention to it. 'If you think you will be happy without me, then I will do anything to make you happy.' Naruto snapped out of his thoughts as he looked at Sakura, catching her slightly off-guard.

She could see his face held no anger, no frustration, no fury, no sadness. He looked at her as she looked at him.

"Sakura-chan, I will stop bothering you from this day onwards. I promise." Was the only thing he said.

She felt like a bell ring on the back of her head once he spoke those words. He didn't sound angry. But his words set off something inside her that she had no idea of what it was. But she knew one thing. She will deeply regret this day.

"Good! Never speak to me again!" She screamed. 'What am I saying…'

"I hate you, so don't follow me!" Inside her inner turmoil began. 'Wait…'

"And don't call me Sakura-chan! Don't talk to me! Just forget I ever existed! I hope you just get deleted from my mind!"

'I don't want it…'

She widened her eyes. 'What have I done…' She looked at him desperately, but was met with his final smile towards her.

"Very well. I promise."

She raised her arms towards him, her mind screaming to call him back, but her lips stayed sealed.

"Okay kids, that's enough drama for one day." Kakashi finally spoke up, breaking the tension between the young genins.

'Though Sakura you just fucked it up.' Kakashi couldn't help but think that. 'Reminds me of a certain someone from my genin days.' He let out a sigh.

"And Sasuke you shouldn't be this hard on your teammates. What did I tell you about teamwork?"

Sasuke was startled from him being addressed. He was too lost in the drama that just took place. He kind of, slightly felt bad for Naruto. But at the same time, he didn't think Sakura had this in her. In an odd way, her furious fiery side slightly made him interested in her.

"And you Naruto." Kakashi began but then frowned. 'Wait he didn't do anything wrong.'

Naruto glanced at Kakashi and smiled. "Kakashi-sensei, let's just continue the mission. We have a long way to go."

He nodded but felt odd from the way he spoke. It felt like it wasn't even Naruto even though there was no change in his tone, or attitude. Yet he seemed different. Or rather felt different.

'Gosh I am getting sucked into these early teenager drama…' Kakashi let out another sigh. "Let's just continue guys."

 **(Scene Change)**

A few more hours passed until they arrived at the port. Sailing ships, boats and speed-boats surrounded the edges of the land that met the river.

"Okay everyone, we will take a ship from here. I have already booked them. Here is the pass." Kakashi handed the trio their individual pass to board.

Naruto took his pass and swiftly jumped down from the steps and landed in front of the ship that they were supposed to board.

Kakashi didn't even bother calling him back.

"Let's just go guys…"

"Hn." Sasuke soon did the same and landed beside Naruto followed by Kakashi.

Sakura looked at her pass and then her eyes drifted towards Naruto. The past three hours, he didn't even talk to her once. She thought finally she could be happy. But reality wasn't what she had expected. In just a few hours, she was already missing him. His constant nagging. His annoying interference. His loud mouth. His… smile.

"Sakura… yo…. Are you coming?" Kakashi called out.

She nodded, not taking her eyes off from his back. She kinda felt like watching his back will become a habit from now on.

 **'** **Calm down girl. You are thinking too much, by tomorrow he will be back to normal.'** Inner Sakura tuned, while laying on a couch as she flipped the pages of a magazine.

'I hope so…'

 **'** **You should be hoping the opposite, no?'**

'I should but… no I should not what the hell? Do you truly hate Naruto? Isn't he the one who always tries to cheer us up?'

 **'** **You are right but he is also an obstacle in the path between us and Sasuke-kun.'**

Sakura didn't have an answer to that. She just ignored it. She didn't know what to think. But she felt horrible. The conflicting feeling that she was in denial about would soon reveal itself but will it be too late by then? Will a certain someone change her life completely? Only time will say.

 **(Scene Change)**

Sakura was surprised once they boarded the ship. Their room wasn't anything special, just three separate beds. A small toilet and a fridge. But what was surprising was the lovely view through the small window. The land of Snow looked beautiful from far as the ship sailed. This was her first time outside Konoha, so everything was alien to her. In a good way.

Kakashi had left the three genins on their room as he had his own separate room. No one really questioned the reason for that, mainly because of the tension between Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke wasn't really a factor as he just laid on his bed as soon as they reached their room. That left Naruto and Sakura. Oddly enough Naruto was sitting beside Sakura on the floor as they both gazed outside through the window. Sakura didn't speak to him. She didn't know how to or if she should even speak to him.

Naruto didn't talk to her either. Even in their closure, they seemed apart.

"Sakura-chan, I will go take rest. You should take some rest too." His voice almost made her jump. A spark of excitement grew inside her as she quickly looked at him. Almost desperately.

"Y-Yes."

Naruto nodded and went to his bed as he slid under his blanket.

The excitement from her face left instantly. She pouted unknowingly as she slid under the blanket on her bed with a huff.

 **'** **Don't worry. He started to speak, by morning he will be back to his usual self.'**

'You are right. I hope so.' Sakura responded with a smile as she closed her eyes, finally at ease from her conflicting feelings.

Inner Sakura just shook her head. **'You should be hoping the opposite, baka.'**

 **End of Chapter 1~**

 **Author's Note:** Here's a new fanfiction, hopefully you like it! I would appreciate any type of feedback regardless what they are. They help a lot to motivate in keep writing!

 **Author's note for other stories** : As you may have noticed, I haven't been updating my stories lately. The reason is simple, I am not motivated in writing new chapters. There is no other excuse apart from that. If I update them now, they will be rushed and not good. So I will wait till I get the motivation back!

Also I watched Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso again this week… gosh that made me depressed again .

Anyways! Review~


	2. Chapter 2

**Do you Remember?**

Sakura woke up earlier than her teammates. Stretching her arms, she smiled contently. She needed this sleep badly. She looked beside her towards the bed where Sasuke was sleeping, opposite side of the room. A sigh left her lips.

 **'** **is still sleeping. Shall we give him a good morning kiss?'**

'No, we will do none of that.' Sakura nodded to herself.

 **'** **Peh~'**

She yawned lightly following her eyes next to Naruto's bed. He wasn't there.

"Where is he?" She murmured in a hushed tone. She stepped out from her bed and exited the room to search for him.

 **'** **Who cares, probably pranking some old granny.'** Before she could dismiss that thought, she widened her eyes seeing Naruto was indeed with an elderly woman, only he was helping her reach her room most likely. She seemed to be having a hard time to walk back.

"Okay old lady, here's your room!" Naruto grinned as the old lady thanked him.

Sakura could see him smiling. Scratching the back of his head from embarrassment. She couldn't help but smile herself.

 **'** **Earth to Sakura~ yo~ stop staring!'** She quickly snapped out of her trance and shook her head.

"Hey Naruto!" She called out, raising her hand mid ways. She was slightly hesitant. Was it right to call him out like nothing happened? What about yesterday? Didn't she say she wanted him to stay away from her? Albeit she said all that in anger, she was still conflicted whether she really wanted that to happen.

She slowly let her arm fall down. She still looked towards him as he did the same.

"Yes Sakura-chan?" He answered as he approached her.

She bit her lower lips nervously. Her hand behind her back as she averted her eyes from him. "What are you doing up so early?"

'Dumb question.' She thought. 'Way to go Sakura.'

"I always wake up early." He replied. She could sense the lack of enthusiasm in his speech. Normally he would be jumping up and down by now if she had asked him something. But now he just seemed… normal.

She looked at him and smiled nervously. "O-oh, I see."

Naruto nodded. "What are you doing up so early?" He questioned instead.

She opened her mouth and then closed quickly. "Well I wake up at this time too." She lied wittily.

'Why am I lying again?'

 **'** **Beats me. Just go give Sasuke a kiss! Stop wasting time on this idiot.'**

Sakura dismissed the thought again. "Where is Kakashi-sensei?" She asked him, changing the subject before it became awkward.

Naruto lightly scratched his chin as he put a thoughtful look. "I have seen him leave his room in the morning, probably having breakfast in the café."

"There's a café in the ship?!" She gushed, excitement turning into glitters on her eyes.

Naruto nodded. "Yes there is, but they don't sell ramen so-" He couldn't finish as Sakura swiftly entered her room. He could hear small noises before she came out swiftly. "I am ready! Kyaaaa!" She made a run towards the café but came to a halt when she realized all her money had been spent on that bracelet.

"Oh no…" She groaned. "And when I thought of going to a café on a ship before that pig." She groaned again as she slowly dragged her feet back.

"What's wrong?" Naruto couldn't help but ask seeing her shoulders slumped down.

"I wasted all my money on that bracelet so…" She bit her lips realizing this brought the memories of yesterdays incidence. She had selfishly blamed everything on him even when he lent her the money. She looked at him worriedly but all her worries were gone when she couldn't see any sign of anger on his face. He just handed her a few coins. "Here, that's all I got. You can return it when we get back."

She just stood there dumbfounded for a few moments. She blinked twice and averted her eyes from the coins to where Naruto stood, only to find he was long gone.

 **'** **Don't get any ideas. He is just being a nice person. Don't forget he is still annoying and a threat in our love life!'**

'Shut up!' Sakura didn't spend another second as she quickly entered her room and as expected found Naruto sitting on his bed.

Hearing the door open, his eyes instantly fell on her. She could feel her throat go dry for reasons she didn't know.

Seeing him staring at her with a questioning look, she cleared her throat.

"U-Uhmm… I was wondering if you would like to have breakfast… with me?" She finished in a rather unsure fashion. Her heart began to beat. In the back of her mind she was nervously twitching from being rejected.

She soon frowned seeing how his eyes changed. There was no facial movement but she knew him better. He was not happy with her. Now she could tell. Regardless of how he acted, she could finally see the difference.

She opened her mouth partly. Naruto shook his head. She closed her mouth, her palm clutched.

"I don't eat what they sell. I will have something-"

"Just stop pretending Naruto." Her voice was dull and hoarse.

Naruto looked at her questioningly.

"What are you-"

"You are angry with me aren't you? Why are you acting like nothing happened? Why do you try to show it's all fine? Are you trying to make me feel pity on you?" She widened her eyes. She didn't mean to say the last part! 'What the hell am I saying?!'

 **'** **Chaaa! Take that blondie!'**

….

Naruto stood up and grabbed her palm. Before she could protest, he guided her outside the room. Once they were outside, he closed the door before releasing her hand.

"Sakura-chan, I am trying my best to give you enough space that you need. I am not angry with you, and no I don't want your pity. I am well aware of your feelings now. I am trying to stay out of your ways." He expressed his mind honestly. At least that's how it sounded.

"Naruto I-" She stopped. What would she say after that? She wanted all that right? A simple life where she could end up with Sasuke and have children and live happily ever after. Naruto was just supporting her on this right? Why did she feel bad then?

"Listen Sakura-chan. You mean a lot to me. Just because you don't feel the same towards me doesn't change anything between us. I will still lo- like you. So please cheer up and don't overthink about what happened. I will always be happy for you." He expressed with a sad smile. There were truth to his words, but not entirely. He still loved her and wished she would feel the same.

Sakura just stood blankly. Her face heated up. Her lips quivered lightly. She was deeply touched by how sweet he was.

"N-Naruto I-"

"You don't need to feel pity on me. I will get over you I promise." He added heavy heartedly. "But I will not give up on you. I will still be with you. Romantically or not, I don't care. I just want you to see me as your friend at least… I can hope that… much right?" He asked the last bit hopefully.

Sakura couldn't help but tear up a little. She nodded. She couldn't trust her voice at this point. She always wants to say something and ends up saying something else. She couldn't afford to hurt someone as sweet as Naruto any more.

"Great! Now let's wake the teme out and you two can go to the café together!"

She smiled and nodded. But staring at his smiling face she could still feel how broken he looked. She felt pathetic for making him this way.

"Naruto…. Will you join us too then?" Sakura asked again, hopeful for an yes this time.

"Sakura-chan, you can spend time with Sasuke this way. Don't waste it. Please?"

…

She nodded but she didn't want this. She wanted to spend time with-

 **'** **Hold that thought girl! Spend time with Sasuke! E!'**

…

 **Author's Note: Here's a quick short update. Hope you liked it?**

 **Review~!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Do You Remember?**

After several debates on whether to go to the café with Sasuke, Sakura decided that this was the best way to finally have a successful conversation with Sasuke. However, her mind was still occupied with the thought from her earlier talk with Naruto. She felt bad for treating him that way while he returned her outburst with nothing but sweetness.

 **'** **Listen pinky! Forget about the past, see the future! Sasuke-kun is right in front of us!'**

Sakura let out a sigh and internally nodded. As her mind drifted to plan on how to ask Sasuke for a mini 'date', she suddenly found a pillow hit her face as it slowly bounced down on the floor.

Naruto had gone to wake Sasuke up to which Sasuke only turned and faced the other side of the bed. In a sarcastic voice, he kept on whispering 'Sasuke! Sasuke!' which resulted the young Uchiha to wake up with a glare glue on his face.

"Urusai, baka!" He yelled as he sent his pillow towards Naruto's direction to which Naruto evaded and went straight to Sakura's face.

With a dark aura suddenly enveloping her, Naruto slightly gulped. But surprisingly the anger left her soon as she left out a sigh.

"Sasuke-kun, I was wondering…." She shyly began with twiddle her finger as she looked on her side.

"No." His flat response was expected but she didn't expect it to come before she even finished her sentence. She sighed again, this time with a sad frown appearing on her face. Naruto noticed her defeated look which caused him to sigh. He slowly walked to her and picked up the pillow, before throwing it at Sasuke.

"What the hell?!" Sasuke growled.

"I am bored, you seem fun to pick on." Naruto spoke with a shrug. Sasuke just looked at him incredulously, not knowing what to say to such childish behaviour.

"Oh Sakura-chan, aren't you going to the café for breakfast?" Naruto ignored the glare from the Uchiha as he turned sideways towards her.

"Huh? Yes I am but-"

"Great, let's go to the café, at least this way it will keep this idiot away from me." Sasuke grumbled as he stood up.

The momentary mischievous grin slowly left Naruto's face, replaced with a sad smile. Seeing Sakura smile so brightly in the brisk of a moment was a sight to be treasured. She seemed like the happiest person alive, her lips wide open with a grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement, the tint blush brushing her cheeks. He inwardly laughed. 'I am so pathetic, ogling over her when that smile isn't for me.'

"Sure, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

"I have better plans than that." Kakashi walked in the room out of nowhere as he raised his hand in a waving gesture. "Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei? Where have you been?" Sakura questioned.

"I tried grabbing a bite at the café earlier but the meal has probably made me develop a phobia for sea food." He answered caressing his stomach.

"So, to get into shape I decided to take a stroll around the ship and ask for directions as to where we are heading and the safest route but got caught up in a company of drunkards." He explained as the trio rolled their eyes.

"That explains the weird smell…" Sakura whispered.

"I learnt there is nice restaurant in town that has got great food… in fact their ramen is almost on the same level with Konoha's Ichiraku ramen. So, for leaving you guys, I am going to treat you all to a meal when we get there."

"Great!" Naruto responded. "I thought I was not going to taste ramen till I got back to Konoha."

"There goes my plan to have breakfast with Sasuke-kun…" Sakura mumbled in a depressing tone.

"How much longer till we reach there?" Sasuke asked as he leaned towards the window and see their whereabout.

"It's actually the next stop, it's fifteen minutes away."

"Well that's great, Sakura-chan you can still grab something to eat from the café, you never know how long it will take to reach the restaurant." Naruto quickly added. Hearing about ramen momentarily made him forget about his plan to get Sakura and Sasuke to the café.

"It's alright Naruto, I can wait." She replied, the subtle disappointment in her tone was easily missed by the rest, but Naruto knew her better. He narrowed his eyes sadly and nodded. He was sad because he was happy how things turned out… he was happy that she didn't get to spend time with Sasuke… he felt pathetic for feeling happy on her misfortune.

'I will make it up to you… believe it…'

( **Scene change)**

"Hime-sama! Good morning"

"Morning Nase-san", the princess replied excitedly.

"You seem to be in bright spirits, Hime-sama." The maid smiled at the young princess.

"Yes! That's quite true. I had a wonderful dream last night. I saw myself walking through the streets of Konoha and having fun with the children around the square." The princess replied happily.

"I was having so much fun that somehow it transcended from the dream world and I woke up with all smiles on my face", she added

"You have never been to Konoha before so how come you are having dreams about the place?" The maid asked as she attempted to brush her hair.

"Ever since I have been informed of my trip to Konoha, I have studied every book relating to the hidden leaf I have come across. I want to ensure I have the most thrilling encounter from my visit." She replied happily. She couldn't help but smile envisioning the sketches from the books she read in real life.

"That sounds wonderful, Hime-sama."

"I know right", she answered.

As the two ladies joked around, they heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" The princess voiced.

"Hime-sama, his majesty, your father requested your presence in his chamber." The maid said. "I think it is pertaining to the visitors we are having from…"

While the maid was still speaking, the princess grabbed her foot wears and dashed out of the room to her father's chambers.

 **(Scene Change)**

On sighting his daughter, the king almost choked on the food he was eating, given the time frame between when he sent the message and how fast his daughter appeared.

"Are they alright!?" She asked anxiously.

"They are fine." The king replied as the princess breathed a sigh of relief.

"I just received info now that they will be here sooner than expected. Seems like they got to know of the path close to the **Frost Vilage,** so they should arrive in the early hours of tomorrow instead of evening."

"That good news." She grinned. "But dad, isn't the frost clan known to be quite hostile to foreigners?" She asked waiting to hear a comforting reply from her father. Despite not going outside of the palace, she had quite the hobby to study about the world outside. She loved reading, find new things always excited her. Her research first started as a hobby to know about nice places that she wanted to visit, but it led her to find out about the negative sides of the world. She knew almost all the political differences between different clans, villages. Her most interesting research were on the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan. Something about them just made her really intrigued.

"Yes." The king answered as he took a sip from a cup of tea. "But to prevent that, we have sent escorts with the royal banner to receive them. Once they know that they are our guest, they should have no trouble"

"Thanks! Dad!" She gave her father a hug and grinned happily. Her day was already good. First time on her life, she would step her foot outside the castle. Just the idea was enough to send her on top of cloud nine.

"Anything for my little princess." Her father smiled and patted on her head.

"I guess I should start packing my bags then." The Princess said with a mild smile on her face.

"We have maids to take care of that, why are-"

"I want to pack my own stuff dad." She pouted.

The king never won an argument when she pouted like that. He let out a sigh in defeat.

"At least let them come before you do all of that. We have to at least give them a warm reception and allow them to rest since they will be on the road for approximately three days." Emphasized the King.

"I guess that's true…" She sighed with a disappointed look.

( **Scene change)**

"Taah! There is no food as awesome as ramen." Naruto exclaimed with a dreamy look on his face as team 7 came out of the restaurant. He kept rubbing his stomach in appreciation for the wonderful meal he had just finished.

"That was really tasty! The grilled steak taste was quite exquisite. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura thanked with a smile. Kakashi could only force a smile back after Naruto raped his wallet.

"Wasn;t the food fantastic Sasuke-kun?" Sakura turned her attention to her crush but as usual was met with the same reply.

"Hn."

Kakashi kept calm and continued staring at his purse trying to estimate how much they had spent on feeding.

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei, believe it!" Naruto laughed as he patted him as a consolation.

"Hai Hai! Now that you have all had your fill be ready to go on an entire day without complaining." They went to a corner to map out where they were currently and how close they were to their destination.

As they knelt down, Sasuke noticed a wanted poster and the bounty attached to it. He then called the attention of the other team members to the information.

"That's quite a huge sum of money!" Sakura voiced still counting the zeros at the back of the bounty fee.

"An amount like these is enough to cover our travelling expenses even with an additional person while coming back." Kakashi voiced. "But we cannot afford to blow our covers. Don't forget we are in a hostile area."

"Oh? Are you saying you can't take on a few thugs? Heh~ Are you scared?" Naruto mocked as Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"That's not it. I am sure the rest understand the situation….." He trailed of seeing the other two giving him the same mocking stare. He sighed in defeat.

"Geeeeeee"

…

"Fine." He accepted as the genin cheered happily, even Sasuke had a smirk on his face. He was itching to fight and this might just prove to be the fight he was looking for.

"We have to round up as soon as possible. We have already sent a message to the palace and told them that we will arrive by dawn." Kakashi said.

"Luckily for us, the bandit camp is on the same way to the palace. These experiences should give the team a real taste of battle rather than just trying to steal a bell from me." Kakashi added tiredly. In reality, he just wanted to finish the escort mission asap.

 **(Scene change)**

They arrived at the bandit's camp wearing black robes and mask similar to that Naruto saw at the shop close to where Sakura bought her bracelet.

Kakashi then disembarked from the group to go scan the area and get some info about the bandits. Last thing he wanted was them to be jumped by strong rogue ninjas.

After returning, he explained to the team that there were few them in the compound currently and he found the main target drinking booze at the other end of the compound.

The idea would be to split into two groups and take out the other bandits and rendezvous in front of the main target.

"Sasuke-kun will you-"

"I will go with you." Sasuke told Kakashi. Sakura looked down sadly as her shoulders slumped down. She at least wanted to show him her fighting abilities and perhaps he would finally give her the attention she craved so much.

Naruto was the only one who saw her distress as her voice wasn't loud enough for others to notice.

"No, you are not, I am going with Kakashi-sensei." Naruto butted in, causing Sasuke to raise his eyebrows.

"Why? Are you scared to go alone?" Sasuke asked in a mocking tone.

"No, I just want to stay away from you." Naruto spoke with a shrug.

"Then go with Sakura, who is stopping you?" Sasuke asked with amusement.

Naruto bit his tongue, not able to come up with something at that.

"Naruto, um… you come with me?" Sakura asked unsurely. When her eyes met with his, she slightly cowered. There was a glint of mystery to his eyes.

He averted his eyes back to Kakashi without a word. Sakura felt a different type of sadness that none of Sasuke's rejection ever did. She almost felt betrayed.

"You can go with Sakura-chan, I want to go with Kakashi-sensei." Naruto added grumpily.

"I am not-"

"Sasuke, Naruto, don't you think it is time you guys see for once how you fair in an actual battle rather than against lost cats?"

The two genins then stared at each other then immediately looked the opposite ways with a facial expression saying that it is never going to happen.

"You know like I have always said before, being a shinobi, you require more than just your individual abilities. You have to learn to rely on the help of others. Sometimes you may not be able to manage on your own but with teamwork, it becomes a lot easier. So, both of you take the eastern wing while I and Sakura will take the western wing."

"Hn." Sasuke's grunt was barely audible.

"No. I don't want to team up with the teme." Naruto crossed his arm. He just needed Sakura to go with Sasuke. On any other occasion he would accept what their sensei said.

"This isn't going anywhere… fine. Sasuke you go with Sakura." Kakashi hope this will end the conflict, but this time it was the other teammate.

"I want to go with you Naruto." Naruto spoke, which caught him off-guard. Sakura wasn't too sure herself why she said that, but she just had to. She wanted to go with him.

Naruto was visibly shocked. "W-With me? Why you can go with Sa-"

"Why? Am I not good enough? Is that it?" She asked angrily mixed with a tone of insecurity. Naruto quickly shook his head.

"No! I didn't say that. W-We can go together if y-you want." He stuttered, flushed in the process when she smiled at him.

'Kawaii…' He gaped at her but quickly averted his eyes when she looked at him.

'What am I doing, I should be staying away from her, not fawning over her smiles.' He took a slight peek at her and couldn't help but blush again.

'Get a hold, so what if she is like really cute… I told her I was going to stay out of her way.' He slapped his cheeks lightly. 'Yush.'

"Well! Let's go then… and remember, stealth is crucial in this mission." Kakashi said.

 **(Scene Change)**

 **Surprisingly both teams made quick work of the enemies.**

Kakashi and Sasuke easily finished their part while Naruto and Sakura's team took a while, due to them not having good co-ordination at first but somehow managed co-ordinate in the end.

Both group arrived at the same time surrounding the target.

"Well, we should tie them up and send a raven to the villagers, we can collect the reward on our way back." Kakashi spoke as he made some hand signs. Soon the bandits were tied with earth style binds.

"Are we just going to leave them here?" Sakura asked, not trusting the bind to be sufficient once they woke up. "They might escape?"

Kakashi shook his head. "They are not strong enough to get out of the bind, should be fine. Besides civilians don't come in this restricted zone." Kakashi added.

"Oh…. That's reassuring."

 **(Scene Change)**

"Wow…" Was the first thing that came out of Sakura and Naruto's mouth. Seeing the Crystal castle up close, they were simply awestruck. Hidden Leaf had no special architectural beauty, they were just plain old buildings. Seeing such place exist for the first time sure left the two in blissful looks.

Sasuke really couldn't care less, and it wasn't the first time for Kakashi so he followed the Uchiha's footsteps.

"Sasuke-kun, isn't this castle really cool?!" Sakura couldn't help but gush with glitter on her eyes.

"Hn." His stoic reply was not enough to put her down this time. She turned towards Naruto who smiled as he gazed around the area. The Ice crystals surrounding them, the white aesthetic of the whole area was something from a fantasy land to them.

"This is like so cool!" Naruto cheered.

"I know, right?" Sakura added with a giggle.

Suddenly Naruto felt a sense of danger and instantly moved without thinking.

"Hey watch out!" Naruto pushed Sakura out of the way as he took out two kunai and stopped two shuriken aimed at them.

"What the hell?" Sakura gasped as fog began to surround them.

"Stay where you are, don't move!" Kakashi alarmed. Sakura gulped. She could feel the air thicken, her breathing became heavier. A sense of killer intent engulfed her. She was scared.

A serene breeze brushed in front of her. Looking up she couldn't see anything but she was sure who it was from the voice.

"Sakura-chan, you okay?!" Naruto inquired as he tried to scan around but couldn't see anything from the fog. He used his instinct to find her position and he was glad after hearing her.

"Y-yes. What's going on?" She asked.

Sasuke and Kakashi activated their **Sharingan** respectively but even with their enhanced vision, there was no sign of anyone. It was as if they were caved inside a bowl of mist.

"State your business."

Naruto gritted his teeth angrily. "I am Naruto Uzumaki! Who the hell are you?!"

Naruto could feel a shift in air near him. Instinctively he swung his kunai, only to cut through empty fog.

"Oi Naruto, stay focused." Kakashi warned the genin, keeping a sharp eye on Sakura and Sasuke at the same time.

"Uzumaki? That's a name from fairy tales." The mocking tone was getting to his nerves as time passed. But he couldn't do anything. He didn't have the sharp eyesight of the sharingan, nor could he sense chakra very well. The only thing he could do was stay close to Sakura. The last thing he wanted was any harm to touch her.

"Naruto I can take care of myself." Sakura's sharp tone was hard to miss.

"What?"

"I said I can take care of myself, I am a kunoichi of Konoha. Stay focussed on your defences." She spoke as she reached for a pair of Kunai from her pouch.

" **Thancred** , they are our guests. Stop it at once."

"Huh? I thought the escorts were ninjas? These are kids?"

"The silver haired one isn't a kid, are you blind? Stop the mist at once!"

…  
"R-Right."

They couldn't see them, they could only make out from their voice, one being female while the other being male.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief once the mist cleared and he could see Sakura. She smiled at him to which he returned it with his own.

"Welcome to Ishgard, my name is Y'shtola, pleased to meet you Konoha Ninjas." A young girl greeted politely, with light brown skin, light teal eyes, white hair with two frontal pigtails tied with rings, dressed in a white dalmatica with silver patterns, blue trousers and black ankle boots. Sakura couldn't help but feel intimidated by her beauty and grace. She had an confident aura emitting from her.

"Are you a **Hyuga**?" Sasuke questioned seeing her pale orbs like that of the Hyuga.

The closed her eyes, a small smile braced on her lips. "No."

"Yo." The other boy who looked older than her greeted. Naruto growled realising it was the guy who attacked them.

"Easy boy, I was just guarding the area and found you guys suspicious." The boy explained in a 'matter of fact' tone. "I am **Thancred** by the way, nice to meet you."

Before Naruto could start a fight, Sakura stepped in between them and glared at Naruto which caused him to pout.

"It's a pleasure to meet you… I am Sakura Haruno." She widened her eyes as the silver haired boy grabbed her hand and kissed before giving her a charming smile. "It's an honour to-" Before he could finish, Naruto aimed a punch at him which he easily blocked.

"N-Naruto?!" Sakura yelled but was glad at the same time. Of course the boy was super hot looking, if not more than Sasuke, partly because he seemed a lot more mature and older. But she was still glad that she got snatch her hand from his grip.

"What are you doing?" Thancred asked with amusement.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he swiftly lifted up in air with his left foot and spun around to give a kick with his right, only for Thancred to easily evade. Naruto widened his eyes, he couldn't even see the other boy move. It felt like he just vanished and reappeared behind him.

"Wow you are weak."

…

"Why you!"

"Stop it both of you." Y'shtola stepped in between them. Naruto growled at her but less aggressively. She sighed and glared at Thancred who just whistled on the side, not meeting her glare.

Kakashi just stood there lazily. 'This is going to be a huge… hmm…. Drag.'

 **Author's Note: New chapter. Review~**

 **Note: Some of you said that Naruto was not being consistent just because he calls her Sakura-chan and not ignore her?**

 **Do you honestly think someone drops the suffix because of that? And why exactly does he have to be rude to her ? I don't know what you think but in my understanding, Naruto wouldn't act like that.**

 **He is trying to stay out of her way, it won't happen over night. Just because he said that doesn't mean he will do it like a switch turned on. Hope that clarifies things a bit.**

 **Review~**


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